1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tool boxes and chests, and in particular, to lidded tool chests.
2. Description of the prior Art
Typically, a lidded tool chest has a lid or cover which is hinged to a base at the rear end thereof for movement between open and closed positions with respect to the base to cover and expose a storage compartment within the base. It is known to provide one or more trays overlying the storage compartment and hingedly interconnected to the base and to the cover so that, when a cover is opened, the trays are pulled upwardly and rearwardly to expose their contents and also to provide access to the storage compartment, the trays remaining in a substantially horizontal position throughout. In such an arrangement, the mechanic or other user must be directly over the tool box to view the contents of the trays and storage compartment.
It is also known to provide storage containers with shelves or trays which are pivotally movable between horizontal and upright or partially upright positions. One such arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,012,658, which has a pair of base straps or rails, to the front end of which is pivoted a tool-carrying panel and to the rear end of which is pivoted a cover. When the device is opened, the panel tilts upwardly to an inclined position to display the tools to the user, the panel being propped against the upwardly inclined cover to form a triangular configuration. However, this device arrangement has no base with a storage compartment therein.